Honey Ginger Chex Mix

It's the time for holiday parties.  I always make a large batch of traditional Chex Mix every year but this year when I was shopping for the ingredients I noticed this recipe printed on the side of the box.  It sounded really good so I picked up everything and tried it.

This is a really good mix.  I gave it out with Christmas gifts this year and everyone thought it was delicious.  It is also gluten-free so you don't have to worry about making something different for those with gluten allergies.

Honey Ginger Chex Mix:
(adapted from Chex)

Ingredients:

6 cups Rice Chex and/or Honey Nut Chex cereal

1 cup dried banana chips

1 cup unblanched whole almonds

¼ cup butter or margarine

¼ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup honey

1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger

½ teaspoon apple pie spice

1 cup flaked coconut

½ cup sweetened dried cranberries

½ cup dried pineapple

Directions:

In large microwavable bowl, mix cereal, banana chips and almonds.

In 2-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave butter, brown sugar, honey and ginger uncovered on high for about 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until mixture is boiling; stir.

Pour over cereal mixture, stirring until evenly coated. Microwave uncovered on High 4 minutes, stirring and scraping bowl every minute. Stir in coconut and cranberries; microwave uncovered on high about 3 minutes or until cereal just begins to brown.

Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool. Store in airtight container.

Chipotle Kale Chips

I got some beautiful curly kale at the farmers' market this weekend and decided to make some kale chips.

I really love kale chips.  Part of the reason is that they are super simple to make. It takes longer to wash the greens then it does to prepare the chips.  One of the other reasons I love these chips is because of all of the different types of flavors you can choose to pair with them.

I decided to use chipotle pepper with this batch of kale chips and was pretty happy with how they turned out.

Chipotle Kale Chips:

1 bunch of kale, cleaned and removed from the stalk
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Rip the kale leaves into pieces and put them in a bowl with the olive oil, chipotle powder, and salt.  Toss the kale to make sure that all of the leaves are covered with the oil and the spices.

Place the kale leaves on a baking sheet, making sure they don't overlap and bake for 20 minutes of until the leaves are crispy.

Bang Bang Cauliflower

I have a confession to make.  I've been trying to make this recipe for months and have thrown away a decent amount of cauliflower in the process.  I throw it down in my veggie tray, eat everything else and then by the time I remember that I have cauliflower it's time to throw it away.

I finally remembered the cauliflower and made this dish. It was good and a nice thing to do with cauliflower but it's not a substitution for Bang Bang Shrimp.

Bang Bang Cauliflower:
(Around the Table)

Ingredients:

1 egg, beaten
1 head cauliflower
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Salt & pepper
Green onion

Sauce:
1/4 cup lite mayo
1/4 cup Sweet Chili Sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar

Slice your cauliflower florets. Place the beaten egg in one bowl and mix the salt, pepper, and panko breadcrumbs in a different bowl. 

Dip florets into the egg and then coat with panko mixture.  Put them on a sheet pan and bake at 400F for 20 minutes or until brown

Mix all of your sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Coat your breaded cauliflower florets with the sauce, top with green onion, and serve.

Eggplant Fries

I did not eat eggplant as a child.  My grandma was the only person in the family that liked it so no one else ever bought any.  Now that summer is here my CSA Farmer has a bunch of different types of eggplant and I decided that it was time to try something new.

This recipe comes right from the farm.  My farmer told me that this is her favorite way to eat eggplant.  She'll even make this instead of french fries.  I bet that plenty of kids out there would eat these (if they didn't know what they were made of).

Eggplant Fries:
(my CSA Farmer, Kathy)

1-2 eggplant, depending on how many people you're feeding
2 egg whites (or 1 whole egg, beaten)
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon salt
enough vegetable oil to fry

Heat your oil over medium high heat in a cast iron pot or use a counter top fryer.

Set up a couple of bowls and put the egg into one bowl and the bread crumbs into another.  Add the chili powder to the egg and mix together.

Cut each eggplant into french fry shapes.  Dip each eggplant fry into the egg and then into the breadcrumbs.  Fry up the eggplant until nice and golden brown.  Let drip dry on paper towels or a metal rack and sprinkle with salt.

They taste great with ranch dressing.

Roasted Chickpeas

I've been battling a summer cold for the past couple of days. Since I've been sick I haven't gotten around to going to the grocery store and was left digging through the pantry for a snack.

When prepping the chickpeas make sure they are really dry.  I let mine sit in the strainer for a good 5 minutes and then dried them really well with a towel. 

This snack is made up of things I always have in the house and it really took no effort.  The flavor was really good but they didn't get as crispy as I would have liked them to.

Honey Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas:
(Sweet Pea's Kitchen)

Ingredients:
2 (15 ounce) cans of chickpeas (or 4 cups cooked chickpeas)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoon granulated sugar
4 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoon honey

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Drain and rinse chickpeas in a colander under running water. Thoroughly dry chickpeas with a kitchen towel.

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar. Add chickpeas and toss until coated with spice mixture. Spread chickpeas out on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, shaking the pan occasionally, until the chickpeas are crunchy and no longer soft in the middle, 35-40 minutes.

Test taste every few minutes until desired texture is reached. Place hot, roasted beans in a small bowl and coat evenly with honey. Spread beans back out on baking sheet and allow to dry. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Jackie's Chex Party Mix

Everyone makes Chex Mix during the holidays.  This is how I make it.

Jackie's Chex Party Mix:
(adapted from Chex cereal)

3 cups rice, corn, and wheat Chex Cereal

1 package of the pretzel and cheddar Goldfish crackers (there is a bag of them mixed)
1 small can of mixed nuts
1 package of garlic bagel chips
7 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon season salt

Mix the cereal, Goldfish crackers, mixed nuts, and bagel chips together in a bowl. In a small saucepan melt the butter.  Add the Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, pepper, and salt to the butter.  Pour over the cereal mixture and toss well.  I use a large wooden spoon so I won't break the cereal bits.

Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour.  Stir every 15 minutes and let cool before storing in an air tight container.

Baked Pita Chips

Mr. T and I have been eating quite a bit of hummus lately.  Pita chips are the best thing to use when snacking on some yummy hummus.  I found this recipe online and it was seriously easy.  I don't think i'll ever buy pita chips again.

Baked Pita Chips:
(adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
12 pita bread pockets
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut each pita bread into 8 triangles. Place triangles on lined cookie sheet.

In a small bowl, combine the oil, pepper, salt, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Brush each triangle with the oil mixture.  Bake in the preheated oven for about 7 minutes, or until lightly browned and crispy. Watch carefully, as they tend to burn easily!

Mushroom Cheese Bread

I would like to thank Publix for this idea.

Mushroom Cheese Bread:

1 loaf crusty bread, cut in half

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup italian cheese shredded cheese blend

1 cup of baby Portabello mushrooms, sliced

Preheat the oven to 350.  Brush olive oil on both pieces of bread (on the cut side, not the crust side).  Lay the mushroom slices on top of the bread and sprinkle with garlic and cheese.

Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Mom's Cheese Spread

My mom has a go-to cheese spread that she makes whenever she has to bring a dish.  It's super easy and takes almost no time.

Cheddar Cheese Spread:

1 package of cream cheese

1 package of cheddar cheese spread

1 package of powdered Italian dressing

Mix everything together and serve with pita chips.

Pimento Cheese

Pimento cheese is a staple in the south.  I've seen people serve it with veggies, on a slice of white bread, and grilled.  The Linda Blondheim Art Studio hosted an Art Lover's Salon recently.  I was responsible for lunch and brought a tray of homemade pimento cheese sandwiches over.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pimento Cheese:
(Martha Foose)

Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped sage

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

8 ounces Colby cheese, grated (2 cups)

8 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (2 cups)

1 (4-ounce) jar chopped pimentos, drained

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Pumpernickel bread, or bread of your choice

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sage, lemon juice, mustard, cayenne, and Worcestershire sauce with a rubber spatula. 

Add the two cheeses and pimientos, blending thoroughly to combine. Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Spread between 2 slices of bread and grill if you want.

Chipotle Hummus

One of my coworkers is moving back to Miami to be with family.  We had a big going away party for him at a local park and I volunteered to bring some chips and dip.  This was a big hit and super easy.

Chipotle Hummus:

2 cans of chickpeas, drained (keep the liquid)

2-3 tablespoons lemon juice

2-4 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped (depending on how much heat you like)

2 tablespoons of the adobo liquid that came with the peppers

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1-2 teaspoon sesame oil*

2 tablespoon olive oil

salt

pepper

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

Add everything to a food processor and blend.  Once everything is mixed add some of the chickpea liquid until the desired consistency is achieved.

*Be careful with the sesame oil.  A little bit goes a LONG way.

Watermelon Granita

It's officially summertime! Mr. T and I have been snacking on a watermelon for a couple of days.  I love it.  With it being summer in the south we are seeing temperatures that are pushing 100* on a regular basis.  It's the perfect excuse to eat something cold.

I like granitas.  They are easy to make and don't require an ice cream maker.  This one can even be made with a sugar substitute for those watching their sugar intake.

Watermelon Granita:

(Food Network)

Ingredients:

4 cups seedless watermelon chunks

1/2 cup sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Puree until smooth. Pour into a shallow, wide pan and freeze for 1 hour. Rake mixture with fork and freeze for another hour.

Rake and freeze for one more hour. Rake and serve in cups.

Buffalo Ranch Hummus

I love hummus.  I can be a purist and tend to stick with the traditional flavor of hummus but this was a nice change.

Buffalo Ranch Hummus:
(adapted from Devon, who found it at abbynormally.com)

2 cans chickpeas, drained but keep the liquid
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tbsp hot sauce
1 packet of powdered ranch seasoning


Throw it in the food processor and add the chickpea liquid until it reaches your desired consistency.  If you'd like more heat or buffalo flavor, add more buffalo sauce.

Onion Rings

I made onion rings for the first time the other day.  I was worried when I started out but they turned out really good!  (If i do say so myself)


I used a cast iron dutch oven to fry these in.  It's a really heavy pot and I felt like I didn't have to worry about splatter quite as much.

Onion Rings:

(Mom)

3 sweet onions, peeled and sliced

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon Old Bay

Oil for frying (vegetable, peanut, etc)

Salt

In a wide, shallow dish mix the flour with the Old Bay seasoning.  Pour the milk in a second dish.

In a deep pot or dutch oven add the oil and heat on a medium high until around 360 degrees.

Take each onion ring and toss in the flour mixture.  Then dip in the milk and then toss back in the flour.  Carefully drop the rings into the oil and fry until golden brown.  I only fried 2-3 at a time so the oil temperature would stay hot.

Drain the rings on paper towels or racks and sprinkle with salt while still hot.

If you like spicy onion rings feel free to add some hot sauce to the milk.

Ranch Oven Fries

I had some potatoes to use up this week and I don't have the best track record with homemade french fries.  It was time for me to make a comeback!    These turned out really good too and were really easy.














Ranch Oven Fries:(Inspired by Tyler Florence)

Ingredients:
2 russet potatoes, cut in 1/2 lengthwise, halves cut lengthwise into fourths to make 16 big, fat wedges
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 packet ranch dressing powder
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

While the baking sheet is heating, toss the potatoes with the olive oil, ranch dressing, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a ziploc bag. Then dump the potatoes out onto a baking sheet, spreading to a single layer. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, shaking the pan every now and then, until the potatoes are cooked through, brown and crispy. When the fries are finished toss them with the cheese and the rest of the salt.

Sausage Balls

I love sausage balls.  They're really popular in the South, more so in Alabama than in my area of Florida.  Every family tweaks this recipe a little bit (I added some Old Bay) so feel free to experiment.  I have a friend that uses venison sausage instead of the pork.

Sausage Balls:
(Old Southern Recipe, but checked measurements from Paula Deen)

1 (1-pound) package ground sausage
3 cups baking mix (recommended: Bisquick)
4 cups grated sharp Cheddar
1/8 tablespoon pepper
1 tablespoon Old Bay

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Combine all ingredients in a large glass bowl. Mix well with your fingers. The mixture will be very crumbly.

Form into 1 inch balls, squeezing the mixture so it holds together, then rolling it between the palms of your hands to form balls.

Place the balls on the baking sheet. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Print Me Out

Trail Mix

My mom makes giant batches of trail mix throughout the year.  She would make it when I was in grade school and pack a little bag of it in our lunches.  I always loved it and when Mr. T and I were home this weekend I snagged a bag of it to bring home.

Mom's Trail Mix:

1 jar roasted peanuts
1 can of cashews
1 bag pecan halves
1 cup roasted sunflower seeds
1 cup m&ms
1 cup reese's pieces
1-2 cups dried pineapple
1/2 cup craisins

Pour the nuts onto a baking sheet and roast them in the oven for 5-10 minutes.

Mix everything together and keep it in an air tight container.

You can use anything you want in it.  Sometimes i'll add banana or apple chips.  Honey roasted peanuts are great too.